1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for assembling terminated wires into electrical connectors to form harnesses.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In order to conduct electrical signals between printed circuit board assemblies or components by means of electrical conductors in electrically operated equipment and products, it is common to employ a harness of terminated wires assembled into a single connector at at least one end, the wires being also terminated at their other ends.
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for the semi-automatic or automatic manufacture of such harnesses.
Another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus of the above-described type having shuttle tables which may be moved rapidly from one station to the next, in straight lines, around a closed rectilinear path, so as to occupy very little space, with the resulting benefit that the size of the apparatus may be reduced.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide linearly movable means for alternately loading a connector at a loading station of the apparatus and unloading a harness at an unloading station of the apparatus, the loading and unloading stations being disposed alongside one another on opposite sides of said closed, rectilinear path.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a selectively adjustable connector separation unit for separating connectors from chain molded connector sticks fed into the apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for terminating a flat multi-conductor ribbon cable having a plurality of spaced-apart electrical conductors with a common insulating covering forming web portions between adjacent conductors. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a single termination head including web splitting and conductor insertion means which simultaneously prepares and terminates a cable in a single operation.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved arrangement for aligning a connector housing with a connector feed member which transports the connector between loading and terminating stations.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved cable presenting arrangement which is operative to pay out a cable segment of predetermined length from a supply source, sever the cable segment from the source, and transport the cable segment to a termination station.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide improved means for removing connecting tabs formed between adjacent connectors to maintain those connectors at fixed spaced apart distances from each other.